Booster cable assemblies or "jumper" cables for transferring electrical energy from a host battery to a receiving battery are well known in the art. Such assemblies have taken many forms, one of which is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,668. This document describes a battery clamp which provides a plurality of gripping surfaces for simple connection to a variety of battery terminal types. The device addresses this problem but, over time, tends to damage the terminals of the battery from exposure of the gripping projections thereto.
Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,457, Varatta provides a booster cable clamp having jaws which are angularly inclined relative to the handle portions. The handles are electroconductive and thus, in the event of disconnection from a terminal during a boosting operation, can cause grounding, sparking or shorting and therefore such an arrangement is inappropriate. In addition, the clamping jaws provide teeth, however, these do not cooperate and lock with the battery for positive engagement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,692 discloses an arrangement wherein there is provided a battery which threadably receives different terminal shapes. The patentee only provides the conventional cylindrical terminals having a smooth surface which do not facilitate locking engagement with the jaws of the booster handles.
Other general advancements in the art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,448,863, 4,759,728 and 4,929,522.
Although the art provides various improved clamp assemblies, battery terminals etc., none of the references discloses a non-conductive system which prevents the positive terminals of a host battery from being connected to the negative terminals of a receiving battery.